Robin Williams Revived Beloved Movie Character To Cheer Up Longtime Friend Christopher Reeve While He Was In Recovery

Jun 03, 2022 by apost team

Christopher Reeve first received acclaim for his portrayal of Clark Kent in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980.) The actor seemed born for the role with his piercing blue eyes and chiseled jawline. Playing the muscular alien instantly established Reeve as an action hero, a title the actor was reticent to embrace. Reeve opted for smaller productions instead, turning down lead roles in The World According to Garp, Fatal Attraction, and Body Heat. 

Reeve's career, however, was then cut short by a tragic riding accident in 1995. While participating in an equestrian event, Reeve was thrown from his horse and sustained a neck injury. Reeve was helicoptered to the University of Virginia Medical Center, where he slowly regained full consciousness. The injury left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.

In an interview with Barbara Walters, Reeve recalled the hospital. He said, "I was hanging upside down, semi-conscious. Not eating. Not drinking." It was then a man appeared, dressed in scrubs. The doctors had "just taken [Reeve] off the heavy sedation and he was just coming back" when this "Russian gynecologist or Russian proctologist," whose face was obscured by the surgical mask, began speaking to Reeve. 

In a thick accent, the man said, "If you don't mind, I'm going to have to put on a rubber glove and examine your internal organs." He continued, gesturing to the 6'4" Reeve and joking, "oh, look at the size of this baby." It was then that Reeve realized that this was no doctor but his longtime friend Robin Williams. 

Reeve continued, recalling the moment he realized who it was that had come to visit, "I turned to my side and there is Robin Williams dressed as a doctor, wearing one of those funny blue scrub hats, and for the first time since I crashed, I laughed. As I always do. As we all always do with Robin." The two actors had met while they were both studying at the Juilliard School in New York. Both had been a part of the Advanced Program and reconnected in Hollywood.

Williams, who had been reprising his character from "Nine Months," recalled that moment in the hospital during an interview with Oprah, saying, "I saw he started to laugh because his eyes lit up and he knew it was me…that was one of the things that made him realize you know he wanted to try and stick around. That. His wife. His children." Reeve echoed this statement, recalling his reaction, saying, "I felt such joy seeing him. That he'd come all that way. And you know, seeing him and laughing and enjoying each other, like the old days, was one of the first indications that life could be good again."

It was years since they'd met in 1973, but their bond remained. Reeve told Walters, "He was the first one to show up down in Virginia when I was really in trouble. He came here to [the hospital] one afternoon and just-- thank god I wear a seatbelt in this chair because I would have fallen out laughing."

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Reeve continued, saying, "In the middle of recuperation, you can still experience genuine joy and laughter and love. Anybody who says life's not worth living is totally wrong." Williams expressed amazement at his friend's strength. He told Oprah, "He's got a great sense of humor about it. You have to. When you talk to people in those situations, they have a sense of humor like... he has this wheelchair that's powered by breath and he's afraid that if he sneezes that thing will backfire and throw him out." 

Prior to Reeve's accident, the two men had expressed touching admiration and caring for each other. Reeve even presented Williams with his award during the People's Choice ceremony in 1979. Of Williams, who was nominated for "Mork & Mindy," Reeve said, "I wouldn't have missed this for anything because the winner…is an old friend of mine…my hat is off to the networks for having the sense to let this man out of a bottle and put him on the tube." Laughing, Reeve referred to Williams as "the chairman of the board of the off-the-wall club." He then, quite sweetly, took a beat in between jokes to squeeze Williams lovingly around the shoulder.   

Williams similarly cut out the jokes for a moment. While talking to Oprah about Reeve's recovery, he said seriously:

"I'll do other things if he needs it but it denies him the dignity of taking care of himself which is already doing... He's gonna have a life of his own. He's not gonna need people to cover that and if he does, I will be there."

What's your favorite Robin Williams movie? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and fellow "Dead Poets Society" fans!